This fantastic Haworthia is known from only two localities west of Albertinia.

Haworthia splendens is indeed a masterpiece of Creation ! The plants display a beautiful array of different colours, almost each one somewhat unique, always with a shiny 'metallic' gloss, and notwithstanding their differences, instantly recognizable as 'splendens'.

The habitat looks very unassuming from far away. The plants grow on an elevation covered with shrub and grass. As one approaches their hide-out, suddenly stones appear amongst the grass, making it an ideal habitat for Haworthia.

I include some old Mavica photographs from the well known locality also referred to as GM 452.

Added 19 Feb 2014:

Included here are some more images of cultivated plants including photographs of plants from Snymanskraal also known as GM 447. These plants are normally larger than the plants from Soutpanskoppies (GM 452).

GM 452 H. splendens ‘Monstrose/ crest’ from Gerhard Marx: Haworthias do not develop crested growth similar as can be found in cacti or many other succulents. Occasionally a seedling or vegetative propagation may develop distichous growth but in most cases it eventually recovers and becomes a normal plant. However, this strange distichous and clustering growth developed amongst tissue-cultured propagations at Gariep Plants and does not seem to outgrow the abnormal growth. It slowly offsets and the offsets retain the abnormal growth after removed and established. The plant flowers and produces seedling which are all normal in appearance.

Habitat Soutpanskoppies.

Haworthia splendens in habitat at Soutpanskoppies.

In habitat Soutpanskoppies.

In habitat Soutpanskoppies.

In habitat Soutpanskoppies.

In habitat Soutpanskoppies.

In habitat Soutpanskoppies.

In habitat Soutpanskoppies.

In habitat Soutpanskoppies.

In habitat Soutpanskoppies.

In habitat Soutpanskoppies.

In habitat Soutpanskoppies.

In habitat Soutpanskoppies.The white forms have been used extensively to create beautiful cultivars.